VA DIC Rates 2024 | 3.2% COLA Increase

VA DIC Rates 2024 will increase by 3.2% starting January 1, 2024, based on the new Social Security Administration’s 2024 COLA increase.

If you’re the surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the widow of a veteran who died from a service-connected injury or illness, your 2024 VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) basic pay rate is $1,612.75 per month.

2024 Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Rates & Charts

The VA DIC Rates 2024 Pay Chart shows the DIC Benefits for Widows 2024, if the veteran died on or after January 1, 1993.

VA DIC Rates 2024 Pay Chart

Note: There are separate VA DIC pay rates for surviving children and surviving parents of a veteran. You can view the 2024 DIC pay rates for children HERE and the 2024 DIC pay rates for parents HERE.

How Do I Calculate My 2024 DIC Pay Rate?

If you’re the surviving spouse of an eligible veteran, your 2024 VA DIC monthly compensation rate starts at $1,612.75 per month.

Then for each additional benefit you qualify for, you add the amounts from the added monthly compensation amounts column above.

For example, I’ll show you the total monthly payment for a surviving spouse with 3 children under 18, and who qualifies for the 8-year provision as well as Aid and Attendance. 

Total monthly DIC payment for the first 2 years:

• $1,612.75 (base monthly pay rate) 
• + $399.54 (1st child under 18) 
• + $399.54 (2nd child under 18)
• + $399.54 (3rd child under 18) 
• + $342.46 (8-year provision) 
• + $399.54 (Aid and Attendance) 
• + $342.00 (transitional benefit for the first 2 years after the veteran’s death) 
• = $3,895.37 DIC payment per month

Total monthly DIC payment after 2 years:

• $3,895.37 (monthly payment with transitional benefit) 
• – $342.00 (transitional benefit ends after 2 years) 
• = $3,553.37 DIC payment per month

What is Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)?

VA DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation) is a VA compensation benefit provided to eligible survivors of deceased veterans.

According to 38 CFR § 3.5 Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, DIC a monthly tax-free compensation payment made to a surviving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran who:

• Died of a service connected disability that occurred on or after January 1, 1957, or before January 1, 1957, if the survivor elects to receive DIC in lieu of Death Compensation, per 38 U.S.C. 1310

• Had been rated as totally disabled due to a service connected disability prior to his/her death, typically for at least 10 years, per 38 U.S.C. 1318, or

• Died due to VA medical treatment, per 38 U.S.C. 1151.

References: For more information about VA DIC:

• 38 CFR 3.5
• 38 CFR 3.22
• 38 CFR 3.358
• 38 CFR 3.702

Who Qualifies for DIC Benefits?

If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you might qualify for VA DIC benefits.

What is the Surviving SPOUSE DIC Eligibility Criteria?

You may be eligible for 2024 VA DIC benefits if you meet these requirements.

One of these must be true:

• You lived with the Veteran or service member without a break until their death, or
• If you’re separated, you weren’t at fault for the separation

And one of these must be true:

• You married the Veteran or service member within 15 years of their discharge from the period of military service during which the qualifying illness or injury started or got worse, or
• You were married to the Veteran or service member for at least 1 year, or
• You had a child with the Veteran or service member

Note: If you remarried, you could receive or continue to receive compensation if one of these describes you:

• You remarried on or after December 16, 2003, and you were 57 years of age or older at the time you remarried, or
• You remarried on or after January 5, 2021, and you were 55 years of age or older at the time you remarried

Evidence:

You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:

• The service member died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty training, or
• The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury, or
• The Veteran didn’t die from a service-connected illness or injury, but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for a certain period

If the Veteran’s eligibility was due to a rating of totally disabling, they must have had this rating:

• For at least 10 years before their death, or
• Since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death, or
• For at least 1 year before their death if they were a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999

Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries made it impossible for them to work.

Click HERE to learn more about the evidence you’ll need to support your claim

What is the Surviving CHILD DIC Eligibility Criteria?

You may be eligible for 2024 VA DIC benefits as a surviving child if you meet these requirements.

All of these must be true:

• You aren’t married, and
• You aren’t included on the surviving spouse’s compensation, and
• You’re under the age of 18 (or under the age of 23 if attending school)

Note: If you were adopted out of the Veteran’s or service member’s family, but meet all other eligibility criteria, you still qualify for compensation.

Evidence:

You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:

• The service member died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty training, or
• The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury, or
• The Veteran didn’t die from a service-connected illness or injury, but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability that was rated as totally disabling for a certain period

If the Veteran’s eligibility was due to a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling, they must have had this rating:

• For at least 10 years before their death, or
• Since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death, or
• For at least 1 year before their death if they were a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999

Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries make it impossible for them to work.

What is the Surviving PARENT DIC Eligibility Criteria?

You may be eligible for 2024 VA DIC benefits as a surviving parent if you meet these requirements.

Both must be true:

• You’re the biological, adoptive, or foster parent of the Veteran or service member, and
• Your income is below a certain amount: Check the parents DIC rate table

Note: The VA defines a foster parent as someone who served in the role of a parent to the Veteran or service member before their last entry into active service.

Evidence:

You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:

• The service member died from an injury or illness while on active duty or in the line of duty while on active duty for training, or
• The service member died from an injury or certain illnesses in the line of duty while on inactive training, or
• The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury

Note: If you’re the survivor of a Veteran who died from COVID-19 and a service-related condition made their illness worse, you may be eligible for VA DIC. When the VA reviews your application, it will consider whether a service-related condition contributed to your loved one’s illness.

How Do I Apply for VA DIC Benefits?

• If you’re the surviving spouse or child of a service member who died while on active duty, your military casualty assistance officer will help you to complete an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits by a Surviving Spouse or Child on the VA Form 21P-534a.

• If you’re the surviving spouse or child of a Veteran, fill out an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits on the VA Form 21P-534EZ.

• If you’re a surviving parent, fill out an Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by Parent(s) on the VA Form 21P-535.

Once you’ve completed the DIC .pdf application form, you have 4 options to submit the application to the VA:

• Work with an accredited representative: Click HERE to get help filing your DIC claim

• Use the QuickSubmit tool through AccessVA to upload your .pdf application online: Go to AccessVA to use QuickSubmit

• Mail your form to this address: Department of Veterans Affairs Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365 Janesville, WI 53547-5365

• Go to a VA regional office and get help from a VA employee: Find a VA regional office near you

About the Author

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Brian Reese

Brian Reese is one of the top VA disability benefits experts in the world and bestselling author of You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned (Second Edition).

Brian’s frustration with the VA claim process led him to create VA Claims Insider, which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim, faster, even if they’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start. 

As the founder of VA Claims Insider and CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, he has helped serve more than 10 million military members and veterans since 2013 through free online educational resources.

He is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).